Tag: abortion

Abortion Pills Are Controlled Substances

Abortion Pills Are Controlled Substances

Posted on by Jack

News from Louisiana. The article start like this:

Louisiana lawmakers passed legislation on Thursday to make the state the first in the nation to designate abortion pills as dangerous controlled substances. Possession of the drugs without a prescription would be a crime punishable with jail time and thousands of dollars in fines.

It brought to mind a book I had read recently. In the part of the book that discusses his Indian family’s successful baking business in South Africa, the government (which was not friendly to non-whites in those days) made bakers yeast a controlled substance and frequently harassing the bakery.

1864, it was a very good year

1864, it was a very good year

Posted on by Jack

1864 was good for some people in Arizona. If you did not have family or friends who were killed or wounded in the Civil War or have some other tragedy, life was good. In 1844 it seems that only white men could vote. So maybe it was good for them but not quite as good for others. The state of medicine was not very good for anybody. There have certainly been a good number of advances since then in medicine, equality of the sexes and races, and many areas.

Why talk about his now? The Arizona Supreme Court reinstated a law dating to 1864. The law reads:
Continue reading “1864, it was a very good year”

Pro-choice is the conservative position

Pro-choice is the conservative position

Posted on by Jack

I am an independent. I feel neither party represents my views fully, although the extremism and pro-insurrection stance of the Republican party is moving me away from that party so I do support Democrats almost exclusively. To be clear, not all Republicans share those views but the party seems to and so do most politicians.

One controversial area is the abortion issue.
Continue reading “Pro-choice is the conservative position”

The Handmaid’s Tale

The Handmaid’s Tale

Posted on by Jack

Good article in The Atlantic online.

I INVENTED GILEAD. THE SUPREME COURT IS MAKING IT REAL: I thought I was writing fiction in the Handmaid’s Tale
By Margaret Atwood

Many have read The Handmaid’s Tale and might be interested in hearing what the author has to say about the apparent direction the Supreme Court is taking the people of the United States.

Culverhouse gift returned and the best response.

Culverhouse gift returned and the best response.

Posted on by Jack

The Culverhouse gift has been returned. What is the best response?

Hugh Culverhouse Jr. pledged a 26.5 million dollar gift to the University of Alabama Law School. So far 21.5 million of that has been paid to the university and the Law School had been renamed in his honor Last week the university gave it back and removed his name from its law school.

The why is in dispute. Continue reading “Culverhouse gift returned and the best response.”

PA SB 3, the anti-choice forces are back

PA SB 3, the anti-choice forces are back

Posted on by Jack

The anti-choice forces are again trying to restrict abortion rights with PA SB 3.

Not much has changed except they are trying again. Read something new and what I had to say about this when they tried in February.

The anti-choice forces are ahead with PA SB 3

The anti-choice forces are ahead with PA SB 3

Posted on by Jack

The anti-choice forces in the Pennsylvania are ahead. The Pennsylvania Senate Judiciary Committee approved Senate Bill 3 which was quickly passed in the state senate. Those anti-choice folks sure move quickly.

Senate Bill 3 would criminalize abortion in cases where the fetus is older than 20 weeks. It would also outlaw a safe and medically accepted technique (dilation and evacuation) which is called “dismemberment abortion” in the bill. In either case the doctor performing the abortion commits a felony of the third degree. i’m not sure what that means since I am not a lawyer but it does sound good.

There are other provisions in the bill as well providing exceptions and additional requirements. In my original post on Senate Bill 3 which was written before on the bill went to the judiciary committee I gave a link to the text of the bill.

The bill goes to the House next. Although Governor Wolfe has indicated he will veto it, the anti-choice forces in the state legislature may be able to override the veto. Therefore it is important that you let your legislators in both the Senate and House know your opinion. The House does vote next and the Senate has already voted but if there is a veto, both may be voting again. You might also want to share your opinion with Gov. Wolfe

Here are 2 links, another article on this and an easy way to look-up your Senate and House members:

Pennsylvania Senate Bill 3, express your opinion

Pennsylvania Senate Bill 3, express your opinion

Posted on by Jack

Pennsylvania Senate Bill 3 would criminalize abortion in cases where the fetus is older than 20 or 24 weeks. There are other provisions in the bill as well providing exceptions, additional requirements, criminalization of a specific type of abortion (at any gestational age), and additional reporting requirements.

It is a bit hard to tell which way it will go now. The bill is before the Judiciary committee today and both numbers are in the bill online. I think that means that one number is current law and the other is in the bill.
Continue reading “Pennsylvania Senate Bill 3, express your opinion”

Abortion, medical care, maternity, and health insurance

Abortion, medical care, maternity, and health insurance

Posted on by Jack

Since I seem to be pointing out articles I really liked here is another. It is What’s the matter with motherhood? by E.J. Dionne, Jr and starts like this: Continue reading “Abortion, medical care, maternity, and health insurance”

Pro-life and Anti-Choice: VP abortion debate

Pro-life and Anti-Choice: VP abortion debate

Posted on by Jack

Abortion is a issue on which Americans disagree. One side believes it should be legal. The other believes it should be illegal.

In last night’s Vice Presidential Debate, Vice President Biden and Representative Ryan pretty much expressed positions on opposite sides of this issue. The quotes below are from NPR which has the video and transcript online. Those interested in the whole exchange can find it there.

Representative Ryan:

“That’s why — those are the reasons why I’m pro-life.

Now, I understand this is a difficult issue. And I respect people who don’t agree with me on this. But the policy of a Romney administration will be to oppose abortion with the exceptions for rape, incest and life of the mother.”

Of course if you think about, it Rep. Ryan is saying that he respects people who disagree but the favors a law that would force them to comply with his belief. Or more accurately, they must comply with Gov. Romney’s belief because Rep. Ryan doesn’t believe in exceptions but does defer to the top of the ticket

Vice President Biden:

“With regard to — with regard to abortion, I accept my church’s position on abortion as a — what we call de fide (doctrine ?). Life begins at conception. That’s the church’s judgment. I accept it in my personal life.

But I refuse to impose it on equally devout Christians and Muslims and Jews and — I just refuse to impose that on others, unlike my friend here, the congressman.”

I am with Joe Biden on this one. I don’t think I should impose my beliefs on others. I think it is a difficult decision but I would rather see individuals involved decide rather than the government.

I can understand why some people will have positions very different, even opposite, from my positions. But I think there is a lack of consistency in taking positions that highlight individual free choice for most aspects of life but take the anti-choice position in others.

Then there is a practical issue. Abortions will occur whether legal or not. Would it not be better to have them occur in plain sight where they will be safer?